Welcome to our “Meet The Brewer” series! Where we interview brewers in Pennsylvania, from breweries small to large. Let us know if you know anyone who should be featured, email us at [email protected].

Ten7 Brewing Company opened in October 2018 in North Wales, PA with a 10 bbl brewhouse. The brewery had won multiple beerfest awards prior to opening. Since 2018, Ten7 has continued to put out top-quality beer, and in the last year introducing cans to their fans. Matt Nitchke is the head brewer at Ten7 Brewing Company. Read more to find out his favorite beer to drink, how he got started as a brewer, and more!

What was your introduction to craft beer?

Let’s see, my introduction to craft beer started at this place in Doylestown called Stephanie’s. I think I need to preface that if you go there now it’s filled with drunk college kids and a frat party in the basement. But 9 years ago they had an upstairs with like 50 beers on tap and the wildest selection. I remember drinking Wells banana bread beer and Chimay Grand Reserve Blue on tap, and if you see the place now I promise you wouldn’t believe me. There was a bartender there by the name of Julius there. I told him I liked Blue Moon he said they didn’t have it, but gave me a Franziskaner Weissbier, and I was blown away. I loved that beer so much that I went out and bought a case for like 60 bucks or something. That whole summer of being 21, we would go every weekend. My friends would go dance, and I would stay upstairs with my buddy and try all these different craft beers with that bartender. So Julius if you’re reading this shout out to you!

How did you get started as a brewer?

I got started like a lot of others in the industry usually do, I was a homebrewer for about 6 years with one of my buddies. Then I started brewing with Bob and the other owners of Ten7 on their back porch, and that started to transition into the position that I have now.

What style allows you to be the most creative, and why?

I think I would go with anything that we put in barrels. We started last year and this year we have been doing even more. Having the ability to blend and figure out what works well together and what doesn’t is really interesting to me. It’s this unique blend of science and art that I really enjoy. Most of that barrel-aged stuff we haven’t released yet but it’s coming I promise!

What was the first beer you ever brewed, and what did you learn from it?

The first beer I ever brewed was a kit from Keystone home-brew for a Hefeweizen. It actually turned out a lot better than I thought it was gonna be. I learned that making beer takes a lot of patience and a TON of cleaning. The first beer I ever brewed on our 10 bbl system was “She’s A Blonde Baby” and that day I learned that I had found what I wanted to do for the rest of my life!

Where do you see the craft beer industry heading in the next few years?

Like most brewers, I see the push for more traditional beers rising, but personally, I don’t think we are ever going to truly go back to our roots and see lagers dominate the tap lists. However, I do think more and more people are looking for those styles, and they’re branching out and trying them. There are breweries around us that are pumping out some amazing lagers. I don’t think the Haze craze is ever gonna die down, at least not anytime soon. I also think we’re gonna see breweries start creating more and more innovative products with different ingredients, and we’re going to see the lines blur even more on what “beer” can be.

Describe what it’s like to be a brewer in Pennsylvania.

Being a brewer is pretty awesome in my opinion. I mean I don’t have a huge frame of reference cause I’ve only been one here, but I’ve never met a more collaborative group of people. I love that if I need help with anything I can pick up the phone and call someone locally, and we’ll work through problems, or if I need to borrow something in a pinch it’s pretty amazing.

What is the inspiration behind your beer names?

Naming beers might be one of my least favorite thing to do, but everyone’s got to do it. Most of the names come from funny things that people say or movie quotes, or song lyrics and things that are punny, we’re all over!

What is your favorite beer to drink right now?

Right now my favorite beer to drink from Ten7 is Star Doors. its a double IPA with Galaxy and Citra, and I think it’s just a really great beer, super soft and just a juice bomb. Then when it comes to other beers that I’m drinking, I don’t really have a staple beer that I go to. I love drinking different beers from different breweries all the time, and with the number of breweries in the area that are putting out incredible beer, it’s easy to keep trying new stuff.

What is the most important lesson you learned in the beer industry so far?

I think the most important thing I learned so far, is that I’m surrounded by some crazy talented people, that have been doing this a lot longer than I have. I’m just happy to be sitting at the table with them. Get ready to work A-LOT but if you love what you do can you really call it work? Always strive to be better and make a better product, and also put 110 percent into everything you do.

Thank you to Matt for talking with us! Make sure you visit Ten7 Brewing Company for all the latest beers, news, information, and special events. And also follow Ten7 on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.